REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni is sweating on the fitness of skipper Robbie Keane ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Germany tomorrow.

LA Galaxy striker Keane, 32, above, who is in line to win his 122nd cap at the Aviva Stadium, sat out training yesterday with an Achilles problem after a challenge by defender Paul McShane on Tuesday.

Assistant boss Marco Tardelli insisted there is no doubt over Keane’s participation, but Trapattoni will keep his fingers crossed until his captain, who joined up after another gruelling transatlantic flight, is back on the field at the Republic’s Gannon Park training base in Malahide.

Tardelli said: “It’s no problem. For Robbie, it’s just a knock. He decided to stay and rest because it is better. He needs to recover also after his trip.

“I spoke with the doctor and he told me everything is OK.”

Bolton midfielder Keith Andrews also missed the open part of yesterday’s session, but Tardelli said: “For Andrews, it’s just rest. He did the first part of training, the tactical part of training, and then asked us if it was possible to stay on the bench. It’s no problem.”

I spoke with the doctor and he told me everything is OK

Assistant boss Marco Tardelli

Trapattoni added: “We have Keane, Simon Cox or Jon Walters. We will certainly have two strikers on the pitch.”

The Italian hopes his run of misfortune is at an end, having already lost Sean St Ledger, Glenn Whelan, James McClean and Kevin Doyle for the game, and experienced defender Richard Dunne still fighting his way back to full fitness.